What does this research mean for the field?

Higher maternal diet quality, characterized by greater intake of non-starchy vegetables, fiber, and plant protein, and lower added sugars, is associated with lower mean CGM-derived glucose levels during mid-pregnancy, but not with neonatal birthweight. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how diet quality impacts gestational glycemia and neonatal birthweight in pregnant individuals.

June 8, 2026

1182-OR: Dietary Quality Factors Associated with CGM-Derived Gestational Glycemia

Key Points

To explore how diet quality impacts gestational glycemia and neonatal birthweight in pregnant individuals.
Participants completed up to 3 dietary assessments between 10-20 weeks and up to 2 assessments at 24-28 weeks gestation.
Continuous glucose monitoring was utilized at 24-28 weeks to derive mean glucose levels.
Regression models were adjusted for factors including total calories, maternal age, BMI, and parity.
Higher Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and greater intake of non-starchy vegetables, fiber, and plant protein were linked to lower mean CGM glucose at 24-28 weeks.
No significant associations were found between diet quality and neonatal birthweight for gestational age.

Abstract

Introduction and Objective: Little is known about how diet quality is related to gestational glycemia and neonatal birthweight. Methods: From 2/2023 to 2/2024, singleton gravidas without preexisting diabetes and enrolled in GO MOMs, a multicenter study of glycemia across pregnancy, completed Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment recalls: up to 3 at 10-20 wks’ gestation, and up to 2 at 24-28 wks’ gestation. They concomitantly wore a blinded continuous glucose monitor (CGM) at 24-28 wks’ gestation. Dietary exposures included the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) Score 0 (lowest)-100 (highest diet quality), and carbohydrate, fat, and protein diet quality measures. Outcomes were mean glucose derived from blinded CGM at 24-28 wks’ (primary), and neonatal birthweight for gestational age (secondary). Regression models were adjusted for total kcals, maternal age, BMI, and parity. The false discovery rate was controlled. Results: Participants (N=542) had a median age of 32 (IQR 29-36) years and BMI 27 (23-31) kg/m2. Higher HEI, greater intake of non-starchy vegetables, fiber, and plant protein, and lower added sugars were associated with lower mean CGM glucose at 24-28 wks’ (Table). We found no significant diet quality associations with birthweight for gestational age. Conclusion: Future studies should test whether increasing gestational intake of non-starchy vegetables, fiber, and plant proteins could improve gestational glycemia. Disclosure E. LeBlanc: None. E.L. Gray: None. A.C. Andrei: None. A. Merriam: None. C. Michalopoulos: None. M. Mourad: None. C. Oshiro: None. K. Schell: None. E. Szmuilowicz: None. L.M. Yee: None. N. Zork: None. C. Powe: Research Support; Current; Dexcom, Inc. Other - Associate Editor of Diabetes Care, Honoraria for Educational Materials; Current; American Diabetes Association. Other - Royalties for Up To Date chapters; Current; Wolters Kluwer (Up To Date). Other - Speaker; Ended; Medscape. Funding The GO MOMs study is supported by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. U01DK123795 to Massachusetts General Hospital; U01DK123791 to Kaiser Permanente; U01DK123759 and U01DK123745 to Northwestern University; U01DK123799 to Yale University; U01DK123783 to Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. Dexcom provided the CGM systems used in the study free of charge. The GO MOMs Nutrition Study is supported by the National Institutes of Health Office of Nutrition Research.

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1182-OR: Dietary Quality Factors Associated with CGM-Derived Gestational Glycemia

Key Points

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